Kusanya Cafe Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Community gathering place for the Englewood neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. The primary exempt purposes are 1) charitable - job training and apprenticeship 2) educational (community events). Kusanya is open to the public 5 days per week, operating a job training / apprenticeship cafe and community gathering space. Kusanya hosts many community events each year, many of which are free and open to the public.
- Income
- $82,251
- Spending
- $71,614
- Spent on programs
- 81%
- Reserves
- 16 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- other income, 83%
- Employees
- 11
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $44,000, executive director & treasurer
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (employment, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 16.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 35% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1581% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 23 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (employment, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 254 of 6 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $52,070 spent. APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM: FOOD SERVICE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP. FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS, THE PROGRAM INCLUDES MENTORSHIP, TRAINING, AND HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN AN OPERATIONAL COMMUNITY CAFE. PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS ARE UNDER-RESOURCED AND/OR UNDER-EMPLOYED INDIVIDUALS AT THE TIME OF ENROLLMENT; MAINLY RESIDENTS OF THE ENGLEWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO, WHERE KUSANYA IS LOCATED. FOOD SERVICE TRACK: INCLUDES FOOD SAFETY, PREPARATION, COOKING AND PRESENTATION; CUSTOMER SERVICE SKILLS; COFFEE INDUSTRY SKILLS (ROASTING AND DRINK PREPARATION); AND MENTORING IN SOFT SKILLS / INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRACK: LONG-TERM MENTORING FOR PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE MANAGERIAL, COMMUNITY/LEADERSHIP, OR ENTREPRENEURSHIP ASPIRATIONS. PROGRAM INCLUDES GOAL-SETTING AND CREATION/REFINEMENT OF A CONCEPT FOR THE PARTICIPANTS' POTENTIAL BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION. PARTICIPANTS ARE SUPPORTED AT IN-DEPTH RESEARCH AND CREATING PROFESSIONAL CONNECTIONS SUITABLE FOR THEIR NEXT STEP. HANDS-ON TRAINING INCLUDES HIGH-LEVEL ASPECTS OF STARTING OR MANAGING A FOOD SERVICE BUSINESS, OR COMMUNITY ORG, I.E. MENU DESIGN, STAFF TRAINING, MARKETING, SUPPLY CHAIN, ETC.
- $2,893 spent. CONTINUED TO BUILD AN OUTDOOR GATHERING SPACE AND COMMUNITY GARDEN THAT WAS HOME TO MULTIPLE MUSICAL AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THIS YEAR. THE GARDEN IS ON THE SAME BLOCK AS KUSANYA.
- $2,892 spent. COMMUNITY EVENTS
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 2013.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.